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North Star STEM Scholars Program

LSAMP students group photoThe Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) is an initiative funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) which is intended to double the number of African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Alaska Native and Pacific Islander students receiving baccalaureate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in a five-year period. In Minnesota, the LSAMP program is called the North Star STEM Alliance, which is a partnership of sixteen higher education institutions. Augsburg’s LSAMP program is designed to help STEM students succeed through peer mentoring,  workshops, research opportunities, and industry visits.

North Star STEM Alliance Goals

  1. Double the number of underrepresented students receiving bachelor’s degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math among partner institutions in a five-year period.
  2. Develop an alliance of collegiate institutions and community organizations working toward increasing the likelihood of success of underrepresented students working toward the bachelor’s degree.
  3. Foster institutional change toward greater diversity and inclusion on partner campuses.

North Star STEM Alliance Objectives

Calculus students working out problems on a blackboard.
Calculus students working out problems on a blackboard.

To increase the number of African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Alaska Native and Pacific Islander students receiving STEM baccalaureates, the North Star STEM Alliance has identified the following objectives:

  • Support student achievement via study groups, tutoring, and supplemental instruction.
  • Engage students more deeply in their fields through faculty mentorship and research opportunities.
  • Explore career directions at 4-year colleges, in industry, and graduate school.
  • Build community through social networking, peer mentorship, and student organizations.

To achieve these objectives, the North Star STEM Alliance will provide comprehensive, long-term initiatives that include alliance-wide community building conferences, peer-to-peer learning, undergraduate research opportunities, programs to help students successfully bridge to college and university-level STEM programs, industry internships, professional development, and publicity of current research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.